A troubadour was a poet who was also a singer, travelling between the castles and courts of southern Europe — mainly southern France and northern Spain and Italy — in the 1100s and 1200s. He wrote his own words and music, and performed them for lords and ladies.

A troubadour一位troubadour was是 a poet who was also a singer既是詩人也是歌手, travelling between the castles and courts of southern Europe遊走於南歐的城堡與宮廷之間 — mainly主要是 southern France法國南部 and和 northern Spain and Italy西班牙北部和義大利 — in the 1100s and 1200s在十二、十三世紀. He他 wrote his own words and music自己寫詞寫曲, and而且 performed them for lords and ladies表演給貴族男女聽.

What he sang about matters. Troubadours are the people who gave Europe its idea of romantic love: the knight who serves a lady he cannot have, love as suffering, love as something noble. Much of how English and Chinese pop songs still talk about love traces back through this line.

What he sang about matters他唱的內容才是重點. Troubadours這些troubadour就是 are the people who gave Europe its idea of romantic love給了歐洲浪漫愛情這個概念的人: the knight who serves a lady he cannot have騎士效忠一位他得不到的女子, love as suffering愛情是一種痛苦, love as something noble愛情是高貴的東西. Much of how English and Chinese pop songs still talk about love英文和中文流行歌現在講愛情的方式 traces back through this line有很多都能追溯到這個傳統.

A useful correction: many troubadours were not poor wanderers. Some were nobles themselves, and some were women. The picture of a ragged man walking from village to village with a lute is a later, romantic invention. If you want the man who only performed other people's songs, that was a minstrel or jongleur — the troubadour was the maker.

A useful correction有個值得澄清的地方: many troubadours許多troubadour were not poor wanderers並不是貧窮的流浪漢. Some有些 were nobles themselves本身就是貴族, and而 some有些 were women是女性. The picture of a ragged man walking from village to village with a lute那種衣衫襤褸、抱著魯特琴走村串鎮的形象 is is a later, romantic invention是後來浪漫化想像出來的. If如果 you want the man who only performed other people's songs你要找的是只演唱別人作品的人, that那 was是 a minstrel or jongleur吟遊藝人或雜耍藝人 — the troubadour而troubadour was是 the maker創作者.

Today the word is used loosely and warmly for a singer-songwriter who travels and writes their own thoughtful songs. Newspapers love calling folk musicians "a modern troubadour". It sounds a bit literary, always a compliment.

Today今天 the word這個字 is used loosely and warmly被寬鬆而帶著親切感地用 for a singer-songwriter who travels and writes their own thoughtful songs形容那種到處演出、自己寫深刻歌曲的創作歌手. Newspapers新聞媒體 love calling folk musicians很愛稱民謠音樂人 "a modern troubadour"「現代的troubadour」. It它 sounds a bit literary聽起來有點文學氣息, always總是 a compliment是種讚美.

Say it roughly TROO-ba-door. It is a French word and keeps its French look.

Say it大概念成 roughly TROO-ba-door. It它 is is a French word一個法文字, and而且 keeps its French look保留了法文的拼法.